CRIPPLED BEAGLE PUBLISHING: You are no imposter. Use these 10 steps to move past self-doubt. You are a writer, and I'm a dollhouse builder!

Never in his childhood did I think my Tennessee mountain boy would end up studying communications eight hours north of his mama and ten minutes south of the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail. He can see Canada from his favorite perch and walleye fishing spot in Port Clinton! What a joy it is to, YES, live through my child. I doubt that Houston, now age 20, can fully appreciate the experience, but I urge him to explore and "take it all in" while he's there. Naturally, when I visit, I daydream about what it would be like for me to live in the Erie Islands. I enjoy studying the culture and history of Sandusky County. The FLAT pastures beg for tornadoes, but the sunsets are outstanding. This southern girl is slow to understand some of the local dialect, and countless references to the Union remind me that I'm a long way from my Georgia roots. I like to casually mention the War of Northern Aggression ... just to see what happens. I get some strange looks, but so far, everyone has been polite. Maybe they just don't understand my thick twang. Ha! One might consider me an imposter. Hang on to that thought.

Norther Ohio is actually a great place to vacation. Ohio's 152-year-old Cedar Point is the second largest amusement park in the country. Put-in-Bay is a ferry ride away and claims to be the "Key West of the North." Admiral Perry's monument dominates the bay, and his famous line, "Don't give up the ship," can be spotted everywhere. Charles Woodson beat out Tennessee's Peyton Manning for the Heisman Trophy back in 1997. Still hurts. Woodson is a beloved Fremont native who serves the community in many philanthropic endeavors. Most importantly, Houston's tiny college sits among infinite cornfields in Fremont, the homeplace of President Rutherford B. Hayes. The Hayes estate is called Spiegel Grove. Spiegel is the German word for mirrors. The home was originally built on The Great Black Swamp. It's giant puddles looked like mirrors as they reflected skyscraping trees. Houston's girlfriend Kinzie took my mother, Scotty (11), Houston, and me to Hayes' home, museum, and library. The home is stunning and FILLED with Hayes family treasures. Hayes started a diary at age twelve. Given what I learned about his family and his personality, I think he knew he would do something BIG. That notion led him to protect and keep documents, gifts, furniture, heirlooms, records, dishes, jewelry, personal items, and so much more. We looked into a mirror that George Washington used when he shaved. One of my favorite museum exhibits was a dollhouse given to the Hayes' only daughter, Fanny.

Have you ever had a hunch that you were destined for something big or meant to do something substantial? Maybe that hunch is telling you to write a book. Don't be distracted by imposter syndrome. Most writers (first timers to veterans) face this negative self-talk now and then. Maya Angelou said, "Each time I write a book, every time I face that yellow pad, the challenge is so great. I have written eleven books, but each time I think, 'Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody and they’re going to find me out.'"

What can you do to quell the self-doubt? Try these steps.

Thank back to one year ago and tell yourself how much you've learned and improved. Read an old essay from school. Amaze yourself at how far you've come!
Know that you don't have to be published to be a writer. You have to WRITE to be a writer.
Don't self-edit. Keep writing and come back later to edit.
Claim your spot in the community. Literally call yourself a writer. Out loud. To other humans.
Talk with other writers. They relate.
Understand that criticism is inevitable. Accept it, reject it if it's off-base, and always learn from it.
Select the "famous" author of your choice. Do you think he was born writing? My bet (I think it's a safe one) is that when the author was born, he couldn't even READ. He definitely couldn't write. See how silly it is to doubt yourself? Just GROW.
Think about a time when you struggled hard and then were successful.
Pray. Thank God for your gifts, your ability to learn, and the opportunity to write.
WRITE.

George C. Brown thought, "I CAN build a dollhouse." Then he did. He gave the dollhouse to the Hayes family, and Fanny (then ten years old) played with it in the White House. This is my favorite room. Hmmm, I may try to build a dollhouse. Why not?